Simple spills, simple solutions

Monday

Sep 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2008 at 7:03 AM

Every now and then, people experience the agony of a spill on their new carpet. Or someone tracking mud into the home. In these situations, the first thing to come to mind is, “How on earth am I going to get this out?”

We usually run for towels, but what most people don’t know is that there are remedies and techniques to cleaning common household messes that can help protect furniture, carpeting and countertops. We asked the experts for advice on surviving accidental spills and other unpleasant boo-boos.

by Tania Bazaldua

Every now and then, people experience the agony of a spill on their new carpet. Or someone tracking mud into the home. In these situations, the first thing to come to mind is, “How on earth am I going to get this out?”

We usually run for towels, but what most people don’t know is that there are remedies and techniques to cleaning common household messes that can help protect furniture, carpeting and countertops. We asked the experts for advice on surviving accidental spills and other unpleasant boo-boos.

Problem: After a long run at the local track, you decide to come straight home and take a shower. When entering the tub, you notice mold growing alongside the edge of the shower. A little grossed out, you don’t know what to do to kill it, and it just so happens you ran out of all your basic cleaning supplies.

Solution: To kill mold naturally, you want to combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water and put that into a spray bottle. Shake it up and spray it on the mold, said James Hasley, owner of Maid Brigade in Broadview, Ill.

“Don’t rinse it. Let the solution just sit on there,” he said. “The only thing is the oil has a strong odor, but it does go away within a few days.”

Problem: You’re babysitting your 3-year-old nephew who is sitting in his high chair when somehow he grabs a ballpoint pen that is nearby. You grab the first cleaning supply you can get a hold of, but it’s not working very well.

Solution: “Any kind of hairspray removes all pen ink from countertops and that includes ceramic, laminate, and even tile and clothing,” said Missy Rogers, owner of Missy’s Maid Service in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Spray the area that was drawn on and rub it gently, she added. Rinse it out well.
“It’s my mother’s old home remedy,” she said.

Problem: You decide to have friends over for dinner, serving cocktails and chocolate truffles for dessert. They ask if they can eat the truffles in your living room and although you’re hesitant, you give the go-ahead. A friend accidentally drops her truffle on your brand-new, white carpet. Now there is a big chocolate stain in the middle of your floor.

Solution: The key is using the right thing at the right time, said Hasley. The milk and cocoa in chocolate can leave a major stain if not careful, he said. Hasley uses eco-friendly products and solutions when sending his teams out to clean homes.

“Go to a health foods store and buy the product Pepsin. Grind that up with water to make a paste. Rub it on the stain, let it sit for a few hours then wipe off,” Hasely said. “We’ve done that on carpeting and upholstered furniture.”

Pepsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins during digestion and is produced by the walls of the stomach.

Problem: Your hungry teenage children come home from practice and decide to heat up last night’s dinner. One of your teens accidentally leaves the food in the microwave for an extra 4 minutes without realizing it. Next thing you know, there’s a an explosion of sauce and cheese that covers every inch of your microwave. Your kids leave it and decide to clean it the next day, but by that time, it has stuck to and stained the interior.

Solution: “Use one or two slices of lemon and place it inside a cup of water,” Hasley said. “Microwave it for 30 seconds on high. Then use a cloth to clean it dry. If you don’t have lemons, you can substitute it for lemon juice from a bottle mixed with water.”

The homemade solution will clean all stains of food that are stuck in your microwave, he said.

“A lot of folks want home remedies now. They’re going back to the basics,” Hasley said.

Problem: It’s storming outside and your German shepherd needs to be let outside. You let him go to the backyard for a minute so he doesn’t get too wet. When you let him back in, he runs into your living room and you see he brought in tracks of wet, thick mud. You run for a towel but you don’t know how to clean it without smearing it and making it worse.

Solution: “Let the mud dry completely overnight,” said Rogers. “The next day, grab your vacuum and vacuum over the mud stains. In most cases, it will remove 90 percent of the stains. After that, scrape the remaining particles off and use mild soap and water to gently clean it.”

You must be very certain of the surface you’re cleaning, Roger said. Even with fabrics, whether it’s man-made fiber or natural fiber can make a difference in what products to use.

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